1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to packages, and in particular, a package that converts a parcel or a not automated flat mail piece to an automated flat mail piece.
2. Background Art
Envelopes have long been known in the art as a quick and efficient way of containing small articles for mail delivery. It has become increasingly important to move away from mailing articles that require manual sorting to mailing articles that are machine sortable. An automated flat mail piece requires little to no human intervention during processing and sorting, resulting in lower mailing costs than manually handled mail pieces.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) requires that an automated flat mail piece conform to certain mail regulations. One of the requirements to enable automated flat mail processing is that a mail piece must bend easily when subjected to a transport belt tension of 40 pounds around an 11-inch diameter turn. In order to qualify as an “automated flat,” the USPS also requires that the mail piece thickness to be no less than 0.25 inch and to not exceed 0.75 inch. If the shipper fails to meet the strict USPS requirements, it may be responsible for surcharges for mail pieces destined for automated mailing equipment that fail to meet USPS's automated flat mail requirements, and/or cause the machines to experience stoppages due to the nonconforming mail pieces. For a non-flat three dimension article, this requirement poses a challenge: to provide an envelope system that is both bendable and can hold articles securely without damage to the article. None is presently known in the art.
Thus, there is a need for a device which overcomes the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art by meeting the USPS requirements for a system that converts a parcel or not automated flat mail piece to an automated flat mail piece.